Have you ever wondered why gas, cigarettes or alcohol cost so much? The answer often comes down to an excise tax — a special tax that’s built right into the price of certain goods. So, what is excise ...

What does it mean to be tax-exempt? Tax-exempt means not being required to pay taxes on certain types of income. Find out what type of income is included.

Back taxes refer to unpaid taxes that remain outstanding from previous years, either due to missed payments, underreporting of income or adjustments in tax filings after an audit. These unpaid ...

Prospective buyers need to know all the expenses they must pay regularly to understand the responsibilities of homeownership. A home is the biggest expense of a person’s life, but the long-standing ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Timothy Li is a consultant, accountant, and finance manager with an MBA from USC and over 15 ...